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YMCA Identifies Key Barriers Preventing Build of Crucial Affordable Housing and Calls for Change
A new report published today by YMCA highlights how organisations that aim to provide affordable housing are facing many challenges in their efforts to relieve the ongoing housing crisis.
The report highlights the inadequacies of funding models, particularly in regard to the accessibility and flexibility of grants provided by Homes England. These inadequacies tend to affect smaller organisations, such as local YMCAs, more significantly.
The report also illuminates issues, including the fact that organisations usually have to rely on existing land and buildings to develop new housing projects. Additionally, the acquisition of land can be a significant financial burden, and the planning processes can be cumbersome and lengthy.
To address these challenges effectively, the report makes six recommendations aimed at fast-tracking planning and funding so that organisations can deliver at the scale and pace needed to tackle the housing crisis. These recommendations include upfront funding for land acquisition, increased support for planning departments, and a review of Homes England’s application processes and funding requirements to better accommodate smaller providers.
YMCA Cardiff share: “Our grand plan is… just a commitment to do what YMCA should be doing, which is supporting the most vulnerable in society, and that’s what these homes are for."
Amidst alarming statistics revealing a 27% increase in street homelessness nationwide, and a 4% rise among young people aged 16-25, the urgency to address housing insecurity during the next Government has never been greater. With more than half of these increases concentrated in specific local authorities, YMCA issues an urgent call for an informed strategy to build more affordable homes now.
In response to this pressing need, YMCA, the largest supported housing provider in England and Wales, has set its ambitions on an extensive affordable housing programme to deliver thousands of new genuinely affordable homes over the next decade.
While the nation grapples with an unremitting housing crisis, local YMCAs stand ready to step up to the challenge with a bold commitment to construct thousands of new affordable homes as part of the revolutionary programme. These homes will utilise YMCA’s expertise and be tailored to the needs of communities, with a particular focus on young people.
This commitment comes at a crucial time, as a comprehensive report released today by YMCA thoroughly outlines the challenges hindering sector organisations from fulfilling their housing aspirations. These barriers range from financial constraints to bureaucratic hurdles in government, all of which impede the progress of affordable housing initiatives.
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YMCA Southend share: "What’s stopping us doing development now is, quite honestly, the cost-of-living crisis, and the cost of bringing forward schemes."
Through extensive interviews with stakeholders, key recommendations have been proposed for the next Government and Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency.
These recommendations aim to eliminate these obstacles and pave the way to unlock affordable housebuilding. Despite the many obstacles, YMCA remains resolute in its mission to provide safe, stable, and affordable housing for all.
Furthermore, recognising the acute housing needs of young people, the report calls for specific considerations within local housing assessments and dedicated provision of affordable housing for this demographic. By aligning policies and resources with the diverse needs of communities, the YMCA aims to create a more inclusive and equitable housing landscape across the UK.
As YMCA pledges to embark on this ambitious endeavour, it calls upon support from the next Government and collaboration to overcome existing barriers and create a future where safe and affordable housing is a fundamental right for all. Together, with collective determination and concerted action, we can build stronger, more resilient communities for generations to come.
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive of YMCA England & Wales:
“Addressing the housing crisis with affordable homes requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society. While we are committed to playing our part in providing much-needed housing, we cannot ignore the challenges that come with it. From cumbersome planning processes to financial constraints, the path to delivering affordable housing is far from easy.”
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